Niger crisis threatens country's stability - U.N.

[Muhsin]

Niger crisis threatens country's stability - U.N.
Thu Jul 2, 2009 1:42pm EDT


DAKAR, July 2 (Reuters) - The United Nations added its voice on Thursday to growing international criticism of actions taken by Niger's President Mamadou Tandja to extend his rule in the uranium mining West African country.

"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the ongoing political and constitutional crisis in Niger, which threatens to destabilize the country and undermine the progress made in recent years to consolidate democratic governance and the rule of law," a spokesman for Ban Ki-moon said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the White House said Tandja's plan to hold a referendum that would enable him to rule beyond his second term in office, which is due to expire later this year, was undermining the rule of law.

Tandja has said the population of Niger want him to remain in power to oversee major projects. French energy firm Areva (CEPFi.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is building what would be Africa's biggest uranium mine, while China's state-owned petrochemicals company signed a $5 billion oil deal last year.

Former colonial power France on Tuesday criticised Tandja's dissolution of the constitutional court, the body which had declared the planned referendum unlawful, while the European Union said on the same day that Tandja's moves could threaten aid to the impoverished desert country.

Niger's main opposition leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, was briefly detained on Tuesday after calling on the military to disobey orders, while opposition calls for a general strike in Niger were largely ignored on Wednesday. (Reporting by Daniel Magnowski; Editing by Louise Ireland)

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[Muhsin]

Assalamu alaikum,

I'm a member on this forum for years but never have I seen any topic discussed on our nearest neighbouring country, i.e. Niger Republic. And coincidently enough, while this thought was popping-up my mind, there is a political crisis that's making head lines in the world happening there. Thus, lets have your comments, opinions , criticism and the likes regarding the issue.

Is Tandja's action justifiable or not?

Has he right to do what he's doing?

Would that end up well?

Is this a development democratically or not?

Ask the rest...

[HUSNAA]

Tandja Momodus's actions are not justified. He says that the masses want him to do tazarce becos he is doing a good job. Be that as it may, I think Niger is a country with sufficient law and order with an independent constitutional court  good WORKING opposition parties  and enough vociferous individuals to ensure that anyone who is steering the country will be sufficiently deligent and honest in his duties. That is what the ppl of Niger do not realize. This is what is lacking in Nigeria and that is why we have such bad leadership and presumably that is what is scaring the Nigeriens into thinking that they could substitute for Tandja a leader who will not produce positive results as Tandja did.
I think that since the supreme court declared the impending referendum null and void, Tandja should have accepted the decision of the court and not listen to bad advisors, who egg him on to do all the things he has so far done. Niger at the moment is not a democratic institution, since everything is done at the whim of one man, and he has now put in place ppl who will answer to him alone, so that even if one wants to challenge the matter judicially, it is doomed to failure. 
One thing that I think Nigeriens should realize is that they chose democracy which is like a relay race where you hand over the baton to the man in front when you reach the end of yr lap. They should respect that by all means and not let one man try and hog the baton. If they had wanted to have a president for life kind of system that pertained in the Congo(?) with Umar Bongo being hauled out of the presidency in a body bag, they shouldnt have wasted their time and the lives of ppl to achieve a viable and working democracy.  You just cant eat yr cake and have it. Democracy means giving the reins to the next man, no matter how poorly he may perform and anyway how sure are they that the next leader wont be better than Tandja?